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Field researcher education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a field researcher. Field researchers usually study biology, psychology, or political science. 74% of field researchers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,597 real field researcher resumes to see exactly what field researcher education sections show.
The most common colleges for field researchers are the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Santa Barbara.
There are also many online field researcher courses to help get the education required to be a field researcher.
What education do you need to become a field researcher?
What degree do you need to be a field researcher?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 7%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a field researcher?
- Biology, 15%
- Psychology, 11%
- Other Majors, 58%
Most common colleges for field researchers
| Field researcher common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 10.39% |
| University of California - Davis | 7.79% |
| Florida State University | 7.79% |
| New York University | 7.14% |
| University of Florida | 6.49% |
Best majors for field researchers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 15.2% |
| 2 | Psychology | 11.1% |
| 3 | Political Science | 8.0% |
| 4 | Environmental Science | 7.7% |
| 5 | Anthropology | 7.1% |
Best colleges for field researchers
The best colleges for field researchers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A field researcher with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for field researchers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become field researchers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
20 best online courses for field researchers
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3. Statistics / Data Analysis: Survey Data and Likert Scales
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5. Framework for Data Collection and Analysis
This course will provide you with an overview over existing data products and a good understanding of the data collection landscape. With the help of various examples you will learn how to identify which data sources likely matches your research question, how to turn your research question into measurable pieces, and how to think about an analysis plan. Furthermore this course will provide you with a general framework that allows you to not only understand each step required for a successful...
6. How to Visualize Research Data in Tableau
Publishing research often requires the preparation of visual elements like charts, tables, and graphs to better explain the text in a research report. Creating these elements can be done easily and effectively in Tableau. Using Tableau, large and small data sets can be visualized with precision, creativity, interactivity, and options in Tableau. After taking this course learners will know how to create a table, a geovisualization, and a pie chart. Three of the most common research...
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Top 10 most affordable universities for field researchers
The most affordable schools for field researchers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for field researchers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for field researchers.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
8. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
9. USF St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,821
Cost of attendance
19,849
10. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for field researchers
The hardest universities for field researchers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for field researchers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for field researchers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for field researchers
The easiest schools for field researchers to get into are Felician University, william paterson university of new jersey, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a field researcher without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for field researchers.
1. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
2. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
5. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
6. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
9. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
10. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
Average field researcher salary by education level
| Field researcher education level | Field researcher salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $29,560 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $22,839 |
| Doctorate Degree | $33,760 |
Field researcher education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025